


Scavver for Hire

by Loupgaros



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Far Harbor, Gen, Nuka World, Raiders, Some Swearing, also some comedy, i really liked writing gray, my attempt at heist stuff, scavengers, scavving is a dangerous business, vague references to general matsu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29763750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loupgaros/pseuds/Loupgaros
Summary: Scavver is good at his job. So good, it's become his name. And when Overboss Hawke wants something rare from Far Harbor, he knows exactly who to hire.
Kudos: 1





	Scavver for Hire

**Author's Note:**

> I had written this last year. It was a porompt for something but I forget. Basically it was something to do with either rarity or value but I had this half written and I finished it finally.
> 
> I want to say I loved writing this. I wanted to try to write something taht wasn't overtly violent or nasty but showed a side of the wasteland that I felt wasn't really explored in game. I suspect there's fics involving scavenging though so I'll add this to that pile.
> 
> I loved writing Gray. Seriously. I started writing him by speech alone and I knew I'd love it. I liked Scavver too. But Damn these two. I love them. Enough gushing. Enjoy!

The man sat and waited in the large and somewhat tackily-decorated room.

It took a lot to make the name of your profession your own name. Scavving wasn’t a glorious job and often took you to places you wouldn’t normally venture to. But the lure of being paid to do so was strong enough for those like him. 

There were many scavvers all over the Commonwealth. It was a lucrative, albeit time-consuming, line of work but determination was the difference between finding a dud you scrapped to a treasure trove of pre-war goodies wastelanders seemed keen to collect.

Scavver had a  _ lot _ of determination. He felt he’d earned the name and the caps it came with. 

He even dressed the part, long coat with dark thick clothing and a refined hat he’d found that he’d had re-trimmed. 

He looked groomed. Even his beard was trimmed and groomed everyday to make sure he looked his best. Hey, no point in being good at your work if you didn’t look good as well. 

He was sitting in what had been an impressive room once. Nuka-World he knew had been impressive once, if not to his taste, going by what remained of the carpet beneath his feet. Fizztop Grille, where he’d been placed for now, he imagined had been a diner of sorts. 

He’d been shown in by the gruff Porter Gage, who’d disappeared not long after. He’d been let in a backway before that and unceremoniously hustled in to avoid the unruly raiders then left to his own devices. 

‘The Boss will be with you shortly. Don’t touch anything.’ That was all he’d said before being dropped in.

For a moment, he drummed his gloved hands on his knees and then stood up. Opposite him was an intriguing display that he couldn’t ignore. 

Various Nuka-Cola posters. A standee of Bottle and Cappy being ridiculously happy as always. On a shelf, each different type of flavour of Nuka-Cola that had been offered. Even the rarer ones like grape flavour and Nuka Wild. All of them were unopened. It earned a small nod of appreciation as his eye travelled around the rest of the display. 

Something else caught his eye and a small ‘hmm’ as he caught it. He collected Vim too? Wasn’t too surprising, given Sunset Sarsaparilla was up there too. Well well. Someone had a major collecting bug.

He almost grinned when he realised what he’d been called here for. 

‘Didn’t touch any, right? I’d have to kill you if you did. That’d be a shame.’

He looked around as he caught the voice. 

Hawke was not the most impressive but his wiry build told anyone he could fight and probably would fight dirty. His mohawk was an array of colours dyed in grubby shades, vibrant once. Arms held at the side in that way that suggested he’d at once throw hands but also offer a handshake as deception. Grubby facial hair that sprouted from odd angles and suggested recently grown. Skin darkened with dirt but if it was ever washed that suggested hints of black ancestry, much like Scavver’s own. A grin that Hawke could only hope to impress his fellow raiders with.

Scavver worked for anyone. You didn’t get fussy with caps. They were dirty money however you got them. 

So he’d worked for raiders, Minutemen, all sorts really. He could tell ones who were ‘in charge’ and those who could make their fellows jump by a snap of their fingers. Hell, he’d even known one who’d simply greeted him in grubby longjohns and a shotgun and with one look, that man had conveyed more leadership than Hawke ever would. 

Hawke was simply ‘in charge’. Give him a month more at most, the Operators would have him. 

Scavver shook his head and felt inside his pocket. Taking out a thin cigarillo, he bit the end, spat out the stump and lit it. ‘Jus’ looking, friend. Impressive collection. Can see why you went for this place.’

Hawke grinned and laughed, a flash of a gold tooth there. ‘Yeah! Biggest prize of them all. I got it all here. These guys, Gage… What remains of that Nuka-Cola company too. I got it made.’ The raider boss turned back to Scavver. ‘But I don’t quite have everything. And that’s why I want you to get it for me. Wanna guess what it is?’

Scavver almost rolled his eyes but he remembered where he was. He hated bosses like these. You got the wrong guess, you were mincemeat. But also they played games to stall the fact they were really bad leaders. They just wanted you to push them to making a choice. 

He glanced at the array of bottles then it clicked. The man had everything else, literally even the tee-shirt. But not  _ this _ .

‘There’s a bottle of Vim you don’t have. Even got a space for it. And I reckon it’s the one that was only sold offshore.’

Hawke looked almost deflated but rallied, not quite managing to hide it. Both Scavver and Gage noticed but didn’t comment.

‘You are good! There’s a reason I sent for you and this was it. He’s good, right Gage?’ Gage simply grunted in reply. ‘Alright, so you got it. Captain’s Blend. No one trades it, no one has it. But I want one to stand right there.’ Hawke jabbed a finger at the empty space. ‘And not just that. I want that recipe.’

Scavver raised his brow. ‘The recipe too? Mind if I ask why?’

Hawke was quite excited now. ‘Because it was never released! It was all a tester blend only. But best thing about that? Means no one else will have one. And they won’t have the recipe either. I’ll be the one with all of that and no one else. You get me?’

Scavver tapped out some ash into an ashtray with a nod. 

‘Okay. So Captain’s Blend. Recipe. Got it. Now let’s get back to earth. What are you paying for all this?’

Silence for a moment then: ‘4,000 caps. Half now, half when you get back. Just shoot a message when you’re on your way here then I’ll have Gage let you in.’ His tone suggested this was final. Trying for command and half-succeeding. 

Scavver hmmed in thought then nodded, holding his hand out. ‘Then it’s sealed. I take your man Gage has the first half?’

Hawke shook the hand in what he hoped was firm enough. ‘Gage, get the caps. Then see our friend out.’ He met Scavver’s steady gaze. His right eye watered a little. ‘Get back here soon as, right? Don’t want to miss out on the other half, right?’

A half-decent threat. Oh dear. Scavver was relieved when Gage reappeared. He counted the caps, as he often insisted on doing, then nodded in satisfaction.

  
  
  


**_Gray_ **

  
  


‘How much?!’

That was Gray.

They were in the Dugout, in a corner table but nonetheless, the outburst had caused attention. Scavver glared until normality resumed. 

‘That’s… How the fuck is he getting that sort of money? And all for a bottle of soda?’

Scavver tipped the ash from the cigarillo into the ashtray then puffed reflectively. ‘Look. Pre-war, before the bombs fucked it over… People would pay hand over fist for a fuckin’ car. Jus’ because it had fancy paint. You think those car companies said no?’

Gray opened his mouth then paused. He shut it again.

‘I’m jus’ helping him. He wants a stupid bottle of soda for bragging rights, he’s getting one. And the recipe.’ He gave Gray a knowing smile. ‘But I need your help. You been to Far Harbor?’

Gray shifted uneasily. 

While not unkindly compared to a mole if it looked human, in both appearance and attire, he also looked honestly dishonest. He couldn’t pull a poker face if he tried. But he could knock you out with a rebar block and get away without you noticing. His eyes were too sharp to be considered kind. If you took away the vast but groomed grey beard, he’d actually look like a raider himself.

But with Scavver, he couldn’t hide much. He coughed a little. ‘Uh, once. Trade job. They opened up a bit since that general went over to smooth things over. There was bad business with Acadia. But this guy went in, few weeks later, it was all peaceful. So I helped out with trade stuff.’

Scavver nodded. ‘That was the Minuteman guy, right? Met him once. Don’t like him, he didn’t like me. But can see why people like him. He’s got proper leadership, not like this Hawke. Alright. Tell me more. I gotta know what I’m walking into.’

Gray shrugged. ‘Well, you don’t call it Far Harbor. Call it Bar Harbor, that’s it’s proper name. They’re opening up but don’t count on a warm welcome. Caps’ll get their attention. Then there’s… Yeah, Acadia. Some say there’s folks there who’re odd. But they basically gave everyone in Bar Harbor those fog condensers to make travel easier. Keep to themselves.’ He paused but Scavver’s meaningful look made him sigh. 

‘There’s the Children of Atom. Be careful of them, their leader’s a bit cloud cuckoo but they won’t attack. Not any more. Oh and bunches of trappers. They don’t like many who they come across. They think you’re stealing their catch. Before you say it… There’s wolves, giant crabs and giant fog crawlers. Basically everything will eat you.’

Scavver grinned then patted Gray on the shoulder as if rewarding a good dog. ‘Good! Now I know what I’m getting into. So. This trade job took you to that Vim factory, right?’

Gray almost choked on his beer.

************************************************************************

For a moment, let’s pause.

Scavver didn’t get around by being stupid. He knew things. And Gray knows he knows things. 

Gray is part of a scavving group known as Cobalt Blue. They all wear distinct blue scarves you learn by gradually noticing they all match and are a slightly brighter hue than normal. Cobalt Blue, like Scavver, took opportunistic chances for unique scavving, working as a group rather than alone. 

They took all jobs, big or small but this one had taken them to the island. Their buyer, kept rather mysterious, had wanted a certain type of Vim, Quartz in particular. Offering them all a sizable sum, they’d plotted, planned and eventually gone to the island. 

Many caps later and they had the location. After careful disposal of the super mutants, the factory had been searched for all traces of Vim Quartz. Then, cleaned out, they’d left.

Gray hated Vim. It was the island’s favourite but he’d had one sip of the normal variant and begged for Nuka-Cola. But those caps... He’d gone as security detail and laid out careful traps for the mutants, making the whole thing much easier. 

It had been a successful heist and with minimal arguing, all said and done. Each had their share and that was all they’d thought of it. Never look back on jobs. 

But an unexpected hitch had occurred. The mystery buyer had then sold each Vim Quartz for a combined value 3 times as much as they’d earned. Cobalt, their leader, was furious. As a man, they’d gone to the buyer’s location (secretly learned and Gray didn’t ask how), found them gone then searched for them. Their search had been successful and the unfortunate mystery buyer was impaled on a spike. 

They’d split the dividends earned and then forgotten about it. Or so Gray had thought.

Gray knew Scavver knew. Scavver kept his ear to the ground. This was a high competition stakes job after all. And when he looked into Scavver’s bright eyes, he knew what was coming.

*************************************************************************

‘Look. I can show you there but I won’t, I will not ever have anything to do with that place!’ Grey covered his face with hands. ‘I trust you Scav, I do. But I don’t want that betrayal again. It hurt, you know?’

‘You mean the fact you didn’t get a payout hurt.’ Scavver puffed again then stubbed out the cigarillo. ‘I jus’ want you to take me there. Watch my back. And we go. You’ll get part of my payout. I’ll give you... 1,500 caps. I’ll keep the rest but you get that once I get back from Nuka-World. That should surely ease any pain, right?’

Grey sighed. Scavver hadn’t let him down yet. He had a bizarre sense of honour at times but he kept his word. He offered his hand. ‘Seal it. And see you keep that, Scav. I’m counting on it.’

  
  


**_Sea Legs_ **

To get to the island was going to be the big part of this trip, that much Scavver knew. It had taken two days to trek to the Nakanos’ residence but it was clear Gray hadn’t told him everything. Or he hadn’t asked the right questions.

It wasn’t just the Nakanos. It was an entire community now. There were rows of houses nearby and an expanded harbour filled with vessels of all sizes. There was even a registration booth captains had to sign after they docked.

Scavver had barely touched this part of the Commonwealth. He hadn’t needed to be here at all if he could help it. But the extent of the growth from those few weeks the maverick Minuteman general had visited had been busy. 

There were a few boats about ready to leave in harbour and a young woman was overseeing one heading out. Scavver coughed politely and smiled as she turned to face him. ‘Excuse me. But we are lookin’ for safe passage to Far Harbor.’ He gestured to Gray. ‘Me an’ my friend here.’

She turned a speculative stare on them then smiled. ‘You’re in luck. That one over there can take you but the captain takes payment for passengers. You’re free to ask him.’

They looked to the boat in question. A small fishing vessel but not very full. It’d do. ‘Thank you.’

‘That was Kasumi. She was the one who went missing. Seems she’s pract’cally harbour-master now.’ Gray adjusted the blue scarf about his neck as they headed over. 

‘Nice enough. Practical. Like that in people. Get the job done.’ Scavver paused then stopped them in their tracks. ’I’ll talk. Get his price down. More caps for both of us then.’

The captain was young but not too young to be considered naive. Both came to an agreement as far as passage was concerned. Scavver paid then they boarded to the cabin they were assigned. It was small but decent with beds built in that looked almost too snug for them.

Gray inspected the tucked in bed. ‘You didn’t tell him you don’t have sea legs. This ain’t crossing a river.’

Scavver paused then shrugged, dropping his bag to the bed. ‘I told you I went to that raider outpost, yeah? The one that’s a shitload of boats in a circle? I was asked to find somethin’ for the boss there. But he insisted I enjoy the hospitality. You spend a few nights there with raiders jumpin’ all over your cabin because it’s a walkway  _ and _ get tossed in a storm.’ Scavver smirked. ‘You get sea legs. Trust me.’

Gray shrugged then dropped his own bag onto the bed. ‘Takes a few days on a bad run, less on a good. I’m praying it’s a good ‘un. 

Scavver nodded then looked out the porthole. It was starting to rain. ‘We’ll take turns on watches. Part of the deal, see. You first then me.’ 

He didn’t have to look round to see Gray’s face. ‘Git goin’. He’s waitin’.’

********************************************************************

The trip was thankfully uneventful. There were seafaring raiders, especially after Libertalia’s success. But it was a relatively safe trip, as they pulled into Bar Harbor and cut engines. 

Gray was out first. Out of the two he was the one who’d actually lacked sea legs and was glad of solid ground. His entire watches had been spent trying not to throw up into the sea. If it wasn’t for the fact he absolutely trusted Scavver, he’d have tried to have him thrown overboard. 

It was dark when they arrived. The fisherman had long since put away their nets and traps. The place itself looked small but was clear to see Gray had been right. The fog condensers were operating in overtime, clearing any fog traces bar the odd single wisp. 

Both men bundled into their warm coats and stumped up the steps to the little town. 

Gray hadn’t been wrong about the townsfolk either. Just because some peace had been set didn’t mean that habits changed. They surveyed the two strangers with wary eyes, although their caps for a meal, drinks then a room were accepted with eager hands. It all felt rather strange.

Scavver bent over his meal as he scrutinised it. ‘Seafood. Nothin’ less. Not bad.’ He looked up at his partner in crime with an almost amused look. ‘You look pale. Still a bit seasick?’

‘Just a little.’ Gray stirred the chowder he’d ordered with the face of someone who’d just regretted it. ‘And I’m beginning to see why I don’t like it here.’

Scavver shrugged, already halfway through his. ‘We’re not here for a holiday. We’re here because some rich raider guy wants some braggin’ rights. In the meantime, you’d best eat. I think fish is the best you’ll get while we’re here if this is any indication. Unless those giant crabs you mentioned are pretty tasty.’

Grey’s face contrived to show, in one expression, that they could be but only after a long period of cooking. A very long one.

  
  
  


**_Wolves in the Mists_ **

It was a grey morning. There was a joke there but after seeing Gray still look a bit sick and about the same colour as the sky, Scavver decided not to say the line on his mind that day. 

The view was clear and serene. The sea was calmer today and the fog had retreated into the trees, like some creature from legend. It was a good day for seeking the Vim factory. 

Gray led the way, his voice quiet. 

‘You gotta be so careful. Trappers tend to come here a lot. Loads of deer here, huge ones. But then you get the wolves. And trappers ain’t nice either. They see you, just put a bullet in ‘em before they can shoot.’

Scavver had his shotgun. That should do. ‘Got it. So. Tell me about Vim. The place, who’s there, that sorta thing.’

Gray thought for a moment before heading down the worn track. ‘Supermutants. Their big dogs. But they don’t bother with the drinks. They just dump their meat bags all over the place.’ A thought occurred and he turned to Scavver. ‘If there was a bottle of that shit in a meatbag, would you pull it out, Scav?’

‘If I had to.’ 

He motioned for them both to stop. 

The forest was stunning, beautiful by Commonwealth standards. But something was coming. They both strained to listen then saw something move rapidly through the trees. It was speeding closer.

They didn’t have to say it. The radstag burst through the trees, leapt over them and was onto the other side of the road into the trees and gone. Both men kept low, looked at each other then heard the growls. Wolves.

One large brown wolf broke the cover and bounded toward them, teeth bared. Two shotgun shells later, it crashed to the ground dead. The other wolves were only just visible in the forest gloom but they didn’t dare emerge. They vanished as soon as the shotgun was trained in their direction.

Scavver replaced the shells with a shake of his head. ‘Shit. You weren’t kidding. They looked hungry. We’ll keep moving and get as close as we can to the factory before makin’ camp.’

They made camp that night in a clearing. Going by Gray’s directions, it should only be a day and a half to the factory. 

For now, they stayed close to the fire, toasting slices of raw wolf meat over the fire. They were quiet, watchful. Their eyes on the meat then the darkness beyond that was rapidly filling with fog. 

‘This fog is strange.’ Scavver pulled his hat up a little. ‘I mean, I’m used to it in the Commonwealth. But this… I can see why they don’t like the fog. It feels strange.’

Gray turned a stick over to cook the other side of the meat. ‘They talk about how it was before. Like the island was just fog. They reckon it makes men monsters. Maybe that’s why the trappers are more fucked up. They got a ghost story about that if you wanna hear it.’

Scavver gave him a look. Gray was trying for all innocence but it was clear he wanted to tell the story. A nod and Gray brightened up.

‘Right. So there was this couple. They lived out here, right in the sticks. But there was no Acadia. You got lost out here, you were in big trouble. Well, he has to go hunting for wood. He doesn’t want to but he does. And he’s gone for about half the day. When he comes back, he’s all ripped and torn and shit.’ 

Gray’s hands were moving quite quickly now. The man really liked his stories. 

‘His wife thinks it’s been the wolves and tends to him and all that but it’s clear he’s changed. Like he doesn’t fear the fog after that. And everyone notices he’s a lot more feral. Then one night, he’s out hunting. And, and, he’s found ripping this deer like he’s not eaten in days. Hunting party goes after him and he’s off like a fucking hare. And still no one knows where he is.’

Gray sat back, happy in his story. Scavver raised a brow then plucked some cooked meat off the stick. Then he spoke.

‘Gray? I think I got it. But I think you missed some things. An’ for that… your story sucked.’ Gray looked offended. ‘Look. It’s the classic werewolf story. I get it. He was mauled, became a werewolf and just ran off. Like in those B movies. But not very excitin’ if you ask me.’

Gray huffed. ‘You just don’t appreciate a good story.’ 

They were cut off by a distant howling. Grips on guns tightened considerably. 

‘Think we’d better leave off ghost stories tonight. Keep a weather eye out.’ Scavver’s voice was suddenly quiet. The simple but terrified nod from his partner was enough for assent.

  
  
  


**_You got Vim!_ **

It was still foggy when they woke up but quiet. Just the sound of birds greeted them, muffled by the fog. 

Scavver was tidying the tents away as Gray packed up the cooked meat then scuffed where the fire had been. It had gone all night and kept the wolves at bay at least. 

‘Alright, Gray. You know the way now right?’ Scavver adjusted his hat. 

Gray nodded. ‘There’s a quicker way than we used before. The roads are treacherous now with giant hermit crabs. Overheard it at Bar Harbor before we left.’

Scavver nodded. ‘Gotta wonder if they’re tryin’ to scare us off.’ He glanced at Gray then pulled the bag onto his back. ‘You go ahead. I got our backs.’

The fog was, in its own way, beautiful. But it annoyed them both. As it drifted between trees, it gave the impression it was disturbed then sank back into gentle drifting. It made things harder to see and notice. The human eye could only spot things so well before it became a blur. 

They were on the road now. It was empty. Vehicles were stranded, left like terrestrial ships in a tarmac sea. There was no sound but the sound of their boots as they walked along. The fog had mercifully left them behind.

Gray shivered. He hadn’t like his first time here much either but with only the two of them and the silence amplifying every sound, he was feeling that maybe his share of the caps wasn’t worth it. But on the other hand… He sighed. It was always hard to say no to Scav. The man had a real knack for finding choice jobs. 

‘Gotta be careful round here. The mutants patrol quite far out and you hear them before you see ‘em.’ He glanced ahead as a truck loomed up, waving Scavver to stop. ‘Okay, I told you about those crabs? They hide in these things. This thing could be a crab shell.’ His voice was hushed, urgent, but also plainly terrified. 

Scavver gave the truck a look. It was a small delivery truck, not one of the longer articulated ones that he’d seen in art on billboards. He trod softly, circling it until he could see the front a little better. 

‘Got news for you. It was.’ He heard Gray’s breath hitch. ‘Mutants got it. Or someone did.’ He gestured to the splayed crab claws. ‘Free food though.’

He could hear Gray wince at that and chuckled. ‘Alright, we’re close. I think I see the Vim factory outline here already. Let’s go.’

The dense tree cover gave way and there was actual sunlight. It had driven away any remaining fog now but there were other dangers now. Gray and Scavver had to duck behind cover now, so the remains of wood, barrels and other debris were welcome. And yes, there it finally rose up. The huge walls of the Vim factory greeted them.

As did the discarded meat piles on the ground, in the car park, and hung high. Scavver pulled a cloth over his lower face to cover his nose as the stink of meat left out for too long wafted over. 

‘Fuckin’ hell. How did you get past this stink?’

He heard Gray’s muffled voice. He was also wearing a cloth over his lower face from the sounds of it. ‘How do you think?’

They surveyed the scene. Typical mutant scene, with the meat bags, a huge cook pot set out, bubbling something unpleasant. And yet nothing in sight. 

‘I don’t like it Gray. There’s nothin’ here. You said this place was crawlin’ with them.’ He shot a glance at Gray. ‘You tell me. You reckon we’re safe? A shotgun is nothing to these.’

The man gave the area a cursory look. He’d been on watch duty on the last run and he’d been pretty sharp. But that time, if he recalled right, he’d spent a day watching them. They had a routine, not a strict one, but easy to follow nonetheless. So if he remembered…  _ Yes _ . He remembered now. 

‘They hunt this time of day. The sun brings out the crabs and mirelurks I think. So they get food. But we’d best watch out inside.’ 

Scavver nodded then motioned for them to move out of the lee of the shade they had found. It was time to head on in and get that Vim. 

  
  


**_The Search for Vim_ **

Inside was somehow worse. Outside, you could say the air had an advantage in taking away the degraded meat odour. But inside there was no such thing. Fans above didn’t work and only moved if inertia let them. 

More meatbags. Scavver sincerely hoped there was no Captain’s Blend in one of these. He’d have an unspoken bet to live up to. 

They trod carefully. Concrete, wallpaper and even bits of metal littered the floor. The computers stared out from cracked and blown in screens, their information stored within useless. Scavver walked past after a brisk inspection then paused by some stairs. 

‘Nothin’ yet. Alright. If this was a test blend only, I’m thinkin’ that corporate will have it. So it’s up here. Hopin’ there’s a workin’ terminal up there.’ 

Gray glanced behind the reception desk. Some bottles of Vim remained but no longer of Quartz after the last run. It was the normal version. He hastily placed it back. ‘Wanna check the meatbags? I see a bottle of something in there.’

Scavver turned a look to him that made Gray hastily backup and babble an apology. ‘Er, we’ll check corporate first. I think there were tasting stations?’

There were indeed tasting stations. And working terminals. Scavver was immediately tapping access to the first one then went quiet with intense study as he read the entries.

Silence broken by Scavver’s murmured reading, Gray decided to help out by keeping out of the way and keeping a lookout. There were no meatbags here but the dust was thick. They’d have a job finding some Captain’s Blend, that was for sure.

This blend was described differently by the tasters. Some had liked it but others found it bizarre. And one had found unexpected success in his lobster traps as the crustaceans were unexpectedly calm when he’d had it. Gray had to wonder how they got anyone to try the stuff. Then his eye was caught by Scavver loading in a holotape. 

‘Hey. That for the recipe?’

‘Got it. It’s not written down. You had much luck with finding anythin’ on paper?’

Gray shook his head. ‘Only reports on its flavour. Some hated it, one loved how it helped his fishing.’ 

‘Then this’ll have to do. There’s no concrete recipe for it. They tried anythin’ and everythin’ that tasted fishy. Found any bottles of it? It should have test written on it.’

Another shake of the head. Scavver sighed. ‘Then we’re headin’ into the offices. I got all I need from these.’

It was becoming obvious that the search for Vim was not a struggle in getting there, or the locals, or even the mutants. It was finding a bottle of this bloody stuff. 

They had tried most of the offices. The place was utterly trashed. It hadn’t just been mutants either. They both suspected treasure hunters, trappers and even scavvers like themselves had been here before. In one office was stacked all the Vim they’d found so far. None of it was Captain’s Blend. 

Gray carefully opened a file cabinet drawer and took a look in. ‘Hey, hey!’ He hissed urgently lest anyone but Scavver should hear. ‘Test label, yeah? I think we hit jackpot!’

It was indeed what they were looking for. With the dust wiped off it, the brown bottles with the test label for Captain’s Blend sat on the table. Both of them.

Scavver beamed. ‘You did good, lad. Now our raider buddy will have his braggin’ rights and a fishy beverage I hope he never opens.’ He tucked one bottle away in the folds of his coat. ‘Now, we got this one left.’ His look to Gray turned sly. ‘Let’s try this.’

It was almost amusing to watch Gray’s face turn from normal to flushed then a deathly pale. He waved his hand vigorously in a motion that clearly said no and shook his head violently. ‘N-no! No, I tried this once, never again! Well not this but, awh come on, don’t make me try this! Seafood is already making me feel ill, I don’t want to hurl in here!’

Scavver shrugged. He put out two clean shot glasses on the table and the bottle opener. ‘You came this far. If you try this… I’ll add 200 caps to your share. Only fair.’ Scavver’s grin could have replaced grease on machinery. Gray shot the man a look then nodded. 

The moment the bottle was opened, the room filled with fish stench. It really was every sort of sea creature in there. Both men gagged at the odour, blinking furiously. There was fizz that lasted all of 30 seconds then it was flat. The stink though. Oh that stayed. It seemed intent on filling every crevice of the room. 

‘I regret this.’ It was all Gray could manage as he watched Scavver pour a small amount into each glass. ‘Hey, that’s too much.’ Too late, it was already poured.

So two shot glasses now sat on the table, half-filled with the fishy concoction. With face cloths drawn down, both men looked on in trepidation. Gray glanced accusingly at his partner in crime then took up one glass. 

On the count of 3, they drank it. Not even a second later, the concoction was spat out and added a fresh shade of colour to the nearby wall. 

‘Oh man... ‘ Scavver coughed as he poured them both a measure of vodka to clear out the taste. ‘He’d better not open this.’

  
  


**_Return to Fizztop_ **

‘Took your time.’

That was Gage. The man gave Scavver a critical one-eyed look as he lead the way through the chaos that was Nuka World. 

Scavver once again took in the sight of the raiders trying to look nonchalant as they watched him. The Operators had so far succeeded, looking like cats in the sun as they side-eyed him. 

‘Hey. I had to travel by sea. That shit’s a long time.’

It had been an eventful trip back. The bottle was sealed he was sure. But somehow it still caused the strange phenomenon of the local sea life being considerably more docile. He had checked, the bottle was sealed tight. 

But maybe by it being kept secure, closed and maybe with some residue dried on the outside from initial packing… Maybe. He could only speculate. 

And then they  _ had _ had pirates this time. Not from Libertalia but a small boat wanting to hold them hostage. The captain had put paid to that with a bullet to the head of the leader and then tossing something heavy to crack a hole in the bottom of the invading vessel. It was wood and not very good wood at that. It had worked. 

Gage sniffed then headed toward Fizztop Grille. ‘Boss wasn’t happy. But you ask me, he’s easy to set off. Not the worst we’ve had but I’d be glad to see him happier and not wanting to cut heads off.’

Ah. Scavver nodded. Short tempers among raiders weren’t uncommon. But they weren’t seen as desirable in leadership either. ‘I got good news for him. Don’t worry.’

Hawke looked like he’d rehearsed this. This looked like the start of a ‘And what do you call this?’ meeting and presumably one where some had not survived. But when he saw Scavver looked as calm as a cat who knows he’s going to survive, he faltered. It was just a flicker of the eye but Scavver had the man beat. 

The bottle was placed on the table. Then the holotape, wrapped in leather to keep the water off on the way back. Hawke glanced at the leather-bound holtape and pointed. ‘What’s this? What the fuck is this? I said recipe. Not whatever the fuck this is.’

Scavver folded his arms. ‘That is it. It’s the recipe I downloaded from the terminal it was on. You try finding paper that’s still intact and not crusted with blood or seaspray. Jus’ put it in your terminal and you’ll be able to read it.’

Hawke unwound the leather nad glanced at the holotape. He shrugged. ‘Huh. That bad a condition up there?’

‘You got it.’ Scavver wanted to, but did not roll his eyes. Hawke was easily mollified. 

The Overboss shrugged. Then he turned to the main prize. He held it gently, like someone examining a delicate instrument, eyes widening with wonder as a grin crossed his face. Scavver waited.

‘Well, well. You went and did it. You know I half thought you’d fail? This shit is rare. I bet there was only one bottle left. And you got it.’ He gave Scavver a huge grin. ‘Your caps are well-earned, friend. Gage will get them ready for you. And then…’ His smile turned half-threatening. At least he tried it. 

‘Listen carefully. You were only let in because I needed your help. You think of coming back here after? It’ll only be by invite or else I get them to kill you. Got it?’

Scavver nodded. He met the gaze head on. ‘Trust me. I don’t think I’ll want to come back unless I have reason to.’

  
  


**_Epilogue_ **

Scavver was back at the Dugout. It was packed as was always the case but for a different reason this time. The centre was taken up by a stage and two pugilists were trying to hit each other with thin padded gloves. It was something prewar called boxing. It looked dull but Scavver had a bet on the one dressed in blue. 

He turned a side look to his companion. ‘You okay there, Gray? You haven’t spoken in a while.’

Gray stirred from some trance and blinked. ‘Trying to figure out the appeal. Like... They haven’t hit each other really yet.’

‘Well they gotta hit each other but not kill each other, you see. That was how it was done. They had a ref who’d pull them apart if it got rough. The Bobrovs are hot shit on that. They don’t want anyone to die.’

Gray shrugged. ‘I don’t get it. You heard the news though?’

He saw Scavver’s look then continued. ‘Hawke was killed. About two weeks back. Heard it on the raider grapevine and then Cobalt picked it up. His head’s on a spike outside. You were lucky to get back when you did, Scav.’

Scavver relaxed then nodded. ‘Yeah. They have limited lifespans, those Overbosses. I reckon only the strong survive. But only the smartest and strongest survive the longest there. Not my sorta life.’ He finished the last of the mac and cheese on his plate. ‘I prefer being able to get out and fuck off once I’m paid.’

Gray watched the bout again and then turned to face Scavver. ‘About that… Cobalt reckons we got another big one being set up. We’re negotiating but you want in, I can put a good word in. He’d probably take you in a heartbeat.’

Scavver tilted his head in thought. ‘Where’ll it be?’

‘We reckon we found a Nuka Cola plant. If we can scope it out, take what we can, the payout has potential to be huge.’ Gray’s face was a picture of greed. 

Scavver couldn’t help but grin. ‘Potential had better be huge. Consider me interested. But maybe after my guy wins this one, yeah?’

The shouts of encouragement were louder now. The one in red had applied fresh red from the nosebleed he’d sustained and was close to fainting. Vadim stepped in to loudly proclaim the winner and Scavver smiled, standing up to claim his winnings. 


End file.
